Buddhism in Five Minutes - Elizabeth J. Harris
13. What is a Bodhisattva?
Buddhism in Five Minutes - Elizabeth J. Harris
Ven Jianchengshi [+]
Lancaster University
Jiancheng Shi received her PhD degree from Lancaster University, UK in 2021. Her PhD dissertation examines mindfulness in contemporary Chan monastic life.
Description
In Sanskrit, bodhi means “awakening” and sattva refers to a sentient being. In a narrow sense, the term “bodhisattva” is primarily restricted to the historical Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, in his numerous previous lives before accomplishing buddhahood. Broadly speaking, a bodhisattva can refer to any sentient being who has vowed to pursue the path to buddhahood, which is called the bodhisattva path.